Bow tie and frame means therefor



Dec. 23, 1958 R. J. KLEVER 2,865,072

BOW TIE AND FRAME MEANS THEREFOR Filed Sept. 27, 1956 8Y0 I -mf IN V EN TOR. FUEBPTJ/(LE'VEF v United States Patent C) BDW TIE AND FRAME MEANS THEREFOR Robert J. Klever, Akron, Ohio Application September 27, 1956, Serial No. 612,509 Claims. or. 24-81 This invention relates to pre-tied bow ties, and especially to frame means and means for securing such bow ties to a collar, or similar article.

Heretofore there have been several widely accepted commercial types of pre-tied bow ties. One of these styles of bow ties has comprised the use of some type of metal frame means involving clamps therein sothat a person wearing the bow tie can secure it to a collar, or similar article by merely flexing or moving parts of the metal frame means relative to other frame parts in prescribed manners so that the metal frame means will clamp the tie onto a collar.

One objection to these previous types of bow ties has been that they do not secure themselves tightly and firmly to a collar, but will slip therefrom and will not engage a collar tightly until the wearer desires to disengage the bow tie from the collar.

Thus, it is a general object of the present invention to provide improved bow tie frame means and means for clamping the bow tie to a collar which frame is characterized by the uncomplicated, but effective, construction thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bow tie of the class described wherein a frame means is provided and it has a spring member within the bow tie frame for resiliently urging portions of the frame members into collar grasping positions, but with such spring means being readily manually releasable, as desired.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a positive spring engagement in bow tie frame means to provide improved bow tie positioning action.

Another object of the invention is to provide some type of a bar frame member in a bow tie and wherein apertures are provided therein and wherein resilient locking members engage the bow tie frame means at such apertures to seat therein and aid in firmly bonding any collar or the like positioned between the bow tie frame means and the spring members and hold the collar in a firm grasp between portions of the frame.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be made moreapparent as the specification proceeds.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevation of a bow tie of the invention secured in position on a shirt collar;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the bow tie means of Fig. 1 embodying the principles of the invention and'having the improved frame means of the invention incorporated therein;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the frame means alone of the bow tie of Fig. 2;

Fi 4 is a bottom plan view of the frame means of Fig- Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the frame means of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the frame means of the previous figures, with a portion of the bow tie being ice shown thereon and with a persons fingers grasping the center portion of the tie for effecting relative movement of the components of the bow tie frame, all as hereinafter described in more detail; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section of a modification of the bow tie frame means of the invention.

When referring to corresponding parts shown in the drawings and referred to in the specification, corresponding numerals are used to facilitate comparison therebetween.

The present invention, generally speaking, relates primarily to a frame for use in a bow tie and wherein the frame comprises a flat bar, a wire having a U-shaped center section provided therein slidably engaging and extending through the bar and having end holding sections diverging from the U-shaped section and engaging one face of the bar, and a spring compressed between said bar and wire and urging the U-shaped wire section away from the bar to draw the end holding sections of the wire resiliently against the face of the bar whereby collar means can be engaged by and between the bar and by the end holding sections of the wire by the automatic resilient tensioning or holding action of the spring in forcing or moving portions of the frame into engagement with any collar means positioned between the frame components.

Attention now is particularly directed to the details of the structure shown in the accompanying drawings, and a bow tie of the invention is indicated as a whole by the numeral 1. This bow tie 1 includes a frame 2, usually made from metal, and wherein a portion of the frame 2 is positioned externally of the fabric 3 which is so arranged, or tied, as to provide the desired bow tie 1 when arranged over or engaged with the frame 2, as hereinafter outlined in more detail.

Normally this fabric would be arranged in two loops or bows 3a and 3b superimposed upon each other as is customary in bow ties and with a center or tied portion 4 being provided in the unit. Normally, the front bow 3a of the fabric 3 is completely free from engagement .with the bow tie frame 2 whereas the back or rear bow 3b of the fabric would normally be engaged with a portion of the frame 2, all as hereinafter pointed out in more detail.

Fig. 4 possibly best shows the various components of the frame 2 which comprises a metal bar 5 that may have short side edge flanges 6 provided thereon. This metal bar 5, which may be made from other suitable material, as desired, normally has two axially spaced center apertures therein through which a U-shaped center portion 7 of a wire 8 extends. This wire 8 is provided with end holding sections or lengths 9 that diverge from the U-shaped section 6, or are so connected thereto, so that the end portions 9 normally lie adjacent the end sections of the metal bar 5. 7 Usually these end portions 9 are looped back upon themselves, and engage with oval shaped apertures 10 provided in the end sections of the .bar 5. Hence,'the end portions 9 of the wire 8 are arcuate Where they seat in the apertures ill and this gives an effective, or secure gripping action between such portions of the frame or metal bar 5 and the end portions 9 of the wire.

The desired spring or resilient action in the bow tie frame 2 is provided in this instance by means of a leaf spring 11 carried by the frame or bar 5, The spring 11 has the U-shaped center portion '7 of the wire 3 passing through holes therein and engaged therewith for retaining the components of the frame 2 in association with each other. Usually the leaf spring 11 is shorter than the bar 5. The ends of the leaf spring 11 should not contact the apertures 10 in the metal bar or frame inasmuch as normally the rear bow 3b of the fabric 3 is engaged by and positioned on the metal bar 5. Thus such fabric 3 is normally pushed inwardly of the bow tie by the end portions 9 of the wire 8 in resilient engagement with the back or other portion of this bar 5.

Fig. 6 of the drawings best shows how the leaf spring 11 can be compressed or flattened so as to space or separate the end portions 9 of the wire 8 from the metal bar 5. This permits the rear bow 3b of the bow tie 1 to have a collar section M-inserted between the fabric 3 and the end portions 9' of the wire 8 and upon release of the tie, have the bow tie be fixedly and desirably secured in position on this collar. A positive resilient spring pressure is set up between the various components of the frame 2 and gives a positive securing action or positioning of the bow tie on any collar. However, the bow tie and its frame means are readily engaged with and disengaged from the collar at whatever times are desired.

The center part of the U-shaped section 7 of the wire 8 is positioned in the tied portion 4 of the bow tie 1 and the end holding portions 9 are exposed for collar grasping action. The bar can be completely within the fabric 3 of the bow tie, or the center portion thereof may be exposed as desired.

Any suitable interengaging means may be provided on the frame or bar and the wire end portions as shown in the members 5a and 9a, respectively, in Fig. 7. Thus corrugations 10a are shown in such bar and ribs or corrugations 12 are formed in the holding portions 9a of the 'wire member.

It will be realized that the wire means used in the bow ties or frames of the invention may be of round, fiat or other shape in section. Likewise, the holding portions 9 and 9a of the wires may be of suitable shapes such as arcuate, rounded or corrugated to facilitate obtaining a good engagement with a shirt collar without tearing or otherwise injuring the collar. The apertures 10, Fig. 5, are of suitable size and shape to facilitate the gripping action which may be sufficient in some cases even though the apertures are omitted.

Hence it is believed that the objects of the invention have been secured by the provision of a relatively uncomplicated, inexpensive type of a bow tie and frame means therefor which can have conventional bow tie components secured thereto in accordance with standard practice.

While one complete embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that modification of this particular embodiment of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A frame for use in a bow tie and comprising a fiat bar, a wire having a substantially U-shaped center section, said U-shaped center section having legs extending through said bar and having end holding sections diverging from said U-shaped section, said U-shaped section and end holding sections being formed as a unit from a single wire, and a spring compressed between said flat bar and the base of said U-shaped section urging said U-shaped Wire section away from said bar to draw said end holding sections resiliently against a face of said bar whereby collar means can be engaged by the end sections of said bar and by said end holding sections by an automatic holding action of said spring.

2. A frame for use in a bow tie and comprising a flat metal bar, a wire having a generally U-shaped section, said U-shaped section having legs extending through said bar and end holding sections diverging from said legs, and a spring compressed between said flat bar and the base of said U-shaped section urging said U-shaped wire section away from said metal bar to draw said end holding sections resiliently against said metal bar whereby tie means can be engaged and carried by said bar and be separated from said end holding sections by compressing said spring and moving said U-shaped wire section towards said bar.

3. Frame means for a bow tie comprising a bar member having a pair of axially spaced apertures therein, a wire having a U-shaped center portion mounted on said bar member and with the legs of such center portion thereof being slidably engaged in the apertures in said bar member, the section of the said wire between the two legs being spaced from one face of the bar member, said wire having retaining end portions extending generally along the opposite face of said bar member, and a leaf spring compressed between and engaging said center portion of said wire and said bar member to hold said retaining end portions of said wire in resilient engagement with said bar member to adapt them to grasp collar means therebetween, said leaf spring being compressible to move the retaining end portions of said wire away from said bar member.

4. Frame means for a bow tie comprising a bar mem ber having a pair of axially spaced apertures therein, a wire having a U-shaped center portion having legs which are slidably engaged in the apertures in said bar member, said wire having retaining end portions extending generally along said bar member to points adjacent the ends thereof on one face of said bar member, said section between the legs of the said U-shaped center portion being spaced from the opposite face of the said bar member, and a leaf spring betwen and engaging said center portion of said wire and said bar member to hold said retaining end portions of said wire in resilient engagement with said bar member.

5. Frame means for a bow tie comprising a bar having a pair of lateral flanges thereon, a wire having a U-shaped center portion, said U-shaped portion having legs slidably engaged with and passing through said bar member, said wire having retaining end portions thereon adapted to be engaged against one face of said bar memher, the section between the legs being spaced from the opposite face of the said bar, and a leaf spring compressed between and engaging said center portion of said wire and said bar member to hold said retaining end portions of said wire in resilient engagement with said bar member, the ends of said leaf spring being slidably engaged with said bar and retained thereon by said flanges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,419,683 Minor June 13, 1922 2,304,348 Firon et al. Dec. 8, 1942 2,458,265 Head Jan. 4, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 66,716 Switzerland Nov. 25, 1913 121,088 Switzerland June 16, 1927 564,617 France Oct. 24, 1923 

